• After being outplayed badly for much of the third period and seeing their 1-0 lead disappear, the Devils stormed back to score the game-winner 13:03 into the final period on a rising one-timer from the left circle by Marek Zidlicky that caromed off Travis Zajec’s neck or shoulder and into the net. Zajac was shaken up scoring a painful goal, but the Devils had the lead back … and this time for good.

• Devils G Cory Schneider didn’t have to make many big saves until the third period, but played very well in stopping 30 of 31 shots to earn his first win in December. After a barrage of shots in the final period, he lost his shutout 10:31 into the third when Isles F Frans Nielsson beat him up high to the glove side with a 25-foot wrist shot from the slot.

• Devils RW Jaromir Jagr remained tied with Mark Messier for 7th all-time with 694 career goals for the 3rd game in a row, but set up the game-winning goal with some nifty puck control before passing to Zidlicky, whose slap shot deflected off Zajac and past Isles Evgeni Nabokov.

• The Devils’ PK killed off 3 Isles power plays, including one late in the game that helped seal the victory.

• LW Ryane Clowe registered 4 hits Friday in his first game back from a 2 ½-month absence due to a concussion, then got more physical Saturday by fighting Isles enforcer Matt Carkner 5:44 into the 1st period. Clowe was challenged after putting a hard but clean hit on Isles D Brian Strait in the New York. The players had each other tied up for much of the 30-second bout, but Clowe connected with a hard right uppercut before taking down his opponent.

• Devils C Adam Henrique made it 2 goals in 2 games after none in his previous 12 11:37 into the first by scoring from the low slot on a backhand off a perfect tape-to-tape pass from rookie LW Reid Boucher.

• Boucher was criticized after Friday’s game for his effort, ripped himself after Saturday’s morning skate, then went out and had a strong rebound game by setting up a first-period goal.

• The Devils’ top line of Zajac, Jagr and Dainius Zubrus put on a cycling and puck-possession display during a late-2nd shift that included one good chance … a shot by Zubrus that sailed wide of the net.

• RW Michael Ryder assisted on Henrique’s goal for his 9th point in his last 12 games.

• The Devils continued their winning ways in the second game of back-to-backs. They’ve now won 7 in a row to improve to 7-1-3 in the back ends. They haven’t have nearly as much success in the front ends of back-to-backs, going 3-5-3.

LOWLIGHTS

• D Bryce Salvador tried clearing the Devils zone with Jersey clinging to a 1-0 lead, the puck was intercepted by Isles LW Thomas Vanek and quickly turned into a game-tying goal by Nielsen.

• The Devils managed just 1 shot, a slapper from the point by D Jon Merrill, on a 2nd-period power play that went up against the league’s worst PK unit.

• Merrill took a holding penalty 16 seconds after the Devils’ power play failed to score, putting the Isles on the PP for the first time.

• Devils RW Michael Ryder’s open shot from the slot 1:55 into second had Isles G Evgeni Nabokov beaten, but rung off the post.

• The Devils’ first period was a lot stronger than their lackluster first 2 on Friday, but they still went 7:12 between their 2nd and 3rd shots on goal. Reid Boucher registered a shot 3:23 into the game, then the Devils’ next came at 10:45 by Merrill.

• D Marek Zidlicky took a holding penalty 18:12 into the second, his 21st minor of the season tying Ottawa’s Chris Neil and Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien for the most in the NHL.

EMPTY NETTERS

• Devils rookie D Eric Gelinas didn’t miss a shift, but momentarily was shaken up late in the first period. Gelinas was knocked off his skates by Isles F Ryan Strome while carrying the puck late in the first and was shaking his right hand in pain after falling. No penalty was called.

• Devils coach Pete DeBoer needed to take someone out of the lineup with captain Bryce Salvador returning to his defense corps, and the decision became an easy one with D Anton Volchenkov unavailable due to “total body soreness.” Volchenkov missed 7 games in November with a pulled leg muscle.

• It’ll be interesting to see what the Devils do in the short-term with disappointing 2008 No. 1 draft pick Mattias Tedenby, a winger who was expected to score goals but has just 20 over 120 career games, including 1 in 15 this season. Tedenby was a healthy scratch for the 17th time this season Saturday, his latest benching occurring after he returned from a 2-game AHL conditioning stint to play 3 games for the Devils without getting a point and racking up a minus-5 plus-minus.

• Tedenby survived Saturday’s roster trim, as F Tim Sestito was demoted to the AHL to make room for D Bryce Salvador, who was activated for IR and played after missing 29 games with a foot injury.

• G Keith Kincaid made 38 saves and lowered his goals-average average to an AHL-best 1.92, lifting the Albany Devils to a 4-1 win over Portland, their franchise-record 6th in a row at home. With a 19-8-2-1 record, the A-Devils are 2nd in the Northeast Division, 3 points behind Springfield.